Meaty Loaded Nacho Dip (From The Complete Plant Based Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen)

Yes, I know that there looks like there is meat in here, but I promise there is not! This is a delicious appetizer with no meat, no dairy, and the taste is not compromised. I loved how well this meaty loaded nacho dip used plant-forward (vegan) alternatives to create a dish that makes you want more and a dish that begs to be shared with family.

The recipe for meaty loaded nacho dip starts off by making a cheese sauce with cooked carrots, cooked potatoes, nutritional yeast, and a few other spices. While I was preparing the cheese sauce, I was also preparing red onion, poblano, and garlic. I sauteed the onion with the polano. I added garlic, cumin, coriander (I actually ran out of coriander, so I couldn’t use it!), and chipotle with adobo. The last thing to go into the pan was the plant based beef. I used the Wegman’s brand Don’t Have a Cow frozen vegan “meat.” I transferred my cheese sauce to a dish, topped it with the beef mixture, added some tomato, some red onion, and a bit of cilantro.

This would be a perfect dish for a party or just an appetizer. I think this dish would be a promising dish to bring to people who love vegan food as well as those that are unfamiliar with it. This dish tastes familiar just like traditional nachos, so it would be something familiar for those just starting to try more plant-forward foods. I served this with tortilla chips and salsa on the side. I think it would also be great to pair it with guacamole. This dip would be good inside of a wrap or as part of a taco/burrito. I like thinking of alternative ways to use a dish when it is as delicious as this one so I have a few good things in my reservoir.

Taste: 10/10

Notes for next time: This is a great dish to share!